Marine vessel locating and lifting apparatus



Feb. 15, 1944. R. B. LUBY Filed Jan. 15, 1943 CDC) MARINE VESSEL LOCA'IfING AND LIF'IING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 off/or; 05/6- 'Feb. 15, 1944. R. B. LUBY v I ,3 99

MARINE VESSEL LOCATING AND LIFTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 15, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. B. LUBY Feb. 15, 1944.

MARINE VESSEL LOCATING AND LIFTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 15, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 15, 1944. R LUBY 2,341,799

MARINE VESSEL LCCATING AND LIFTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 15, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 4,-

III'

Q of the vessel shown in Fig. 1;

Patented Feb. 15, 4.944

"uNrrE-o srArEs PArENr-oF-FicE APPARATUS Richard B. Luby, Chicago, 111. h

Application January 15, 1943, Serial No. 472,445. 13 Claims. (emu-.51

This invention relates to a combination locating and lifting or hoisting apparatus which is especiallyadapted for. lifting submerged or sunken marine vessels.

An-object of the invention is to afford a novel and relatively simple and emcient apparatus by means of which a submerged or'sunken marine v vessel may readily be located and "lifted by em- Another'object of the invention is to provide a novel collapsible cable-supporting reel structure which is embodied in the invention.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawingswhich, by way of illustration, show preferred embodiments and the principles thereof and what I now the new collapsible consider to be the best'modes in which I have contemplated applying those principles." Cfther embodiments of. the invention embodying the same or 'equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be madeas desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and appended claims.

In the drawings, I 'Fig. 1 is 'a diagrammatic top plan view of a typicalmarine vessel with which the invention a may be employed and showing a typical arrange!- ment of six of the new locating and lifting units around and upon said vessel;

Fig. 2 15a diagrammatic side elevational view Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on line 3-3 in Fig. 1 illustrating one of the new combination locating and lifting units in its normal or ineffective position view the purview of theing or hoisting cable I6 Fig. 8 15a view showing one of the new combination locating and lifting units with the pilot cable and its collapsible supporting'reel raised and showing the lifting cable unwound from its supporting reel; 7

Fig. .9 is a perspective view showing the two complementary sections of the hub embodied in supporting reel for the pilot cable; and 1 Fig. 10 is a sectional plan view online [0-10 in Fig. 8.

A conventional marine surface vessel is diagrammatically shown in Figs.'1 and 2 of the drawings, wherein it is generally indicated at It), and is shown as having six of the new combination indicating or locating and lifting units arranged thereon and therearound. Each of the combination indicating or locating and lifting. units is generally indicated at H and while the units II are shown as being arranged upon and associated with a marine surface vessel, it will be understood that they may be likewise used in In general, it may be; said that each of the new combination locating and lifting units II includes a buoyant float I3 which may be madeof cork or any other suitable buoyant material. The

fl'oat II is attached to a relatively small or light flexible pilot cable I4 which is wound upon a collapsible supporting reel l5 and each of the combination'locating and lifting units it also includes a relatively heavy or strong flexible liftwhich is wound upon a supporting reel ll. 9

The construction and arrangement of each of the new combination indicating or locating and lifting units II is, in general, such that if the vessel l0 should sinkthe buoyant float I3 may be released to float toward the surface of the water and thus carry with it the pilot cable I4, and when the pilot cable ll becomes unwound from. its supporting reel IS, the reel 28 collapses and becomes detached from its support and-parts thereof tend to rise with the pilot cable I4 and the float l3, as indicated in Fig. 8 of the drawings. Hence, it will be seen that when the. buoyant float l3 reaches the surface of the water in which the vessel It is sunk, said float I 3 provides a marker or indicator for locating the sunken around and upon the vessel l8, it becomes possible to raise or hoist the sunken vessel through the use of the hoisting or lifting cables l6 and any suitable marine hoisting or lifting apparatus which may be employed in conjunction therewith. It will be understood, in this connection, that the pilot cable I4 and the hoisting .cable l8 are preferably of sufficient length such, for example, as 500 feet or more each, to permit usage thereof in water having such a depth as will permit the practical raising of sunken marine vessels by means of known methods and apparatus.

Having thus outlined generally the purpose and operation of the invention, a detailed description of the typical embodiment thereof which is shown in the drawings will now be given.

It will be noted by reference to the drawings that the supporting reel H for the liftingor hoisting cable l8 includes bearing trunnions l8 vessel I8 and which is preferably secured thereto in any suitable manner as by welding 22.

One end portion of the lifting cable is permanently secured or attached to the reel l1 and a. flexible connecting element 23 is attached to the other end portion of the litfing cable l8, the flexible connecting element 23 being divided to provide two arms 24 and 25.

One arm 24 of the flexible connecting element 23 is, as is best shown in Fig. 5, attached to a connecting element or link 28 and this link 28 is swivelly mounted upona section 21 of the supporting shaft for a collapsible pilot cable reel, which is generally indicated at 28, and on which the pilot cable M is nonnally wound.

The other arm 25 of the flexible connectin element23, is, as is also shown in Fig. 5, attached to a connecting element or link 29 which is. swivelly mounted upon a section 38 of the supporting shaft for the collapsible reel 28, and which shaft section 38 is complementary to the shaft'section 21.

The collapsible reel 28 includes a reel flange or wheel 3| which is preferably made of buoyant material such, for example, as wood, and this reel flange 3| is hired upon the shaft section 21. The collapsible reel 28 also includes a corresponding and complementary reel flange or wheel 32 which is fixed upon the shaft section 38.

As shown in the drawings, the axially inner ends of the complementary shaft sections 21 and 38 are interconnected by a flexible connecting element 33 which is also attached to the lower or inner end portion of the flexible pilot cable l4.

The shaft section 21 of the collapsible reel structure 28 has a ball-like element 34 fastened or formed thereon and a similar ball-like ele- Qment 35 is fastened or formed upon the complementary shaft section 38.

As shown in the drawings, a spacing collar 36 is adjustably secured upon the shaft section cludes two complementary hub sections 39 and 48 which are preferably made of buoyant material such, for example, as wood, and which hub sections when assembled, cooperate to form a cylindrical hub for the reel structure 28. The hub section 39 is provided with an axially extending groove 4| for the reception of parts of the shaft Sections 21 and 38, and the hub section 48 is provided with a corresponding and complementary axially extending groove 42 for the reception of parts of the shaft sections 21 and 38.

As best shown in Fig. 9, the hub part 39 is provided with a recess or depression 43 for the reception of part of the ball-like element 34 on the shaft-section 21, and the hub section 48 is provided with a complementary depression or recess 44 for the reception of part of the ball-like element 34 on the shaft section 21, these recesses 43 and 44 cooperating to provide a socket for the reception of the ball-like element 34 on the shaft 1 section 21.

As likewise shown in Fig. 9, thehub section 38 is provided with a depression or recess 45 for the reception of part ofthe ball-like element 35 on the shaft section 38 and the hub section 48 is provided with a complementary depression or recess 46 for the reception of part of the ball-like element 35 on the shaft section 38. These recesses 45 and 46 cooperate to provide a socket for the reception of the ball-like element 35 on the shaft section 38 and it willbe noted, in this connection, that when the ball-likeelements 34M and 35 are disposed in the sockets 43-44 and 45-48 provided in the hub-sections 39 and 48 they preferably have su'fllcient frictional engagement with the walls of. the sockets 43-44 and 45-48 to maintain the hub sections 39 and 48 together and the shaft sections 21 and 38 in axial tically extending side wall .58 of a housing 5| which is arranged within the housing 2| and encloses the collapsible reel structure 23 and the pilot cable I4 and the buoyant float l3 when these parts are disposed in their normal or' ineffective position. It will be noted, in this connection, that while the body of the housing 5| is disposed within the larger housing 2|", and lies below the weather deck l2, the housing 5| includes a portion which projects above the weather deck |2, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and dot the drawings.

The axially outer end portion of the shaft section 38 is,journaled in a bearing block 52 and this bearing block 52 is pivotally mounted, as at 53, in a supporting frame or block 54 which is attached to the opposite vertically extending wall 5501 the housing 5|, as best shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

It will be noted, in this connection, that the axially outer end portion of th'e-shaft section 21 is slidably inserted into a centrally arranged bearingopening 55 which is formed in the pivoted bearing block 41 and the axially outer end portion of the shaft section 38 is slidably inserted into a similar centrally arranged bearing opening 51 which is formed in the pivoted bearing block 52. e

As shown in the drawings, that portion of the housing which projects above the weather deck i2 is provided with a closure or cover 58 which is hingedly mounted upon the upper por tion of the side wall 55 of the housing 5|, as indicated at 59.

The cover or door 58 is provided with a handle 69 and the door 58 is normally held down in watertight engagement with the upper edges of the side walls of the housing 5| by means of a clamping unit 80. This clamping unit 50 includes a clamping bracket GI and this bracket 5| includes-an arm 62 which is adapted to bear upon the closure or door 58 at the end thereof opposite its hinge mounting 59. The clamping bracket BI is swivelly mounted upon a clamping screw 63 and the lower end portion of the clamping screw 63 is anchored to the weather deck |2 of the vessel H! in any suitable manner as by welding. A clamping nut 64 is mounted upon the screw 63 and a manually operable handle 65 is attached to the clamping nut 64. It will thus be seen that the clamping nut 64 and handle 65 may be turned upon and relative to the screw 63 so as to. clamp the bracket 6| in effective or clamping position upon and relative to the door 58. as in Figs. 3 and 5, and that the clamping nut 54 and handle 65 may be turned upon and relative to the screw 63 so as to release the door 58 and thus enable the door 58 to be moved into open position, as in Fig. 8, as and when desired.

'-A retaining latch 66 is pivotally mounted. as at 61, on the weather deck I2, adjacent the hous- I ing 5|, and the latch 66 is provided with a handle 58.

It will also be noted that a screen 18 is at tached, in any suitable manner, .to the otherwise open bottom of the housing 5| and this screen is provided with a slot 1| (Fig. 10) through which the pilot cable l6 extends. This screen 18 serves to prevent parts of the collapsible reel structure 28 from' falling through the bottom of the housing 5| and becoming fouled when the reel structure 28 is collapsed while the slot 1| in the screen 18 enables the pilot cable l4 and the lifting cable it to pass thereth'rough.

Since all of the units II are identical in structure and operate in the same manner, the use and operation of only one of the same will now be described in detaiL'it being understood that the following description applies to all of the other units The parts of each' of the units II are normally arranged in ineffective position, and in which position they are shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings. When the parts are thus disposed the lifting cable i6 is wound upon its supporting reel l1, the pilot cable M is'wound upon the then assembled collapsible reel structure 28, the buoyant float i3 and the collapsible reel structure 28 are arranged within the hous ng 5|, and the door 58 of the housing 5| is closed and held in closed position by the clamping unit 80.

.However, if the vessel ii should become damaged and appear to be in sinking condition, the clamping unit 60 may be released from clamping engagement with the door 58 and moved into ineffective position, in which it is shown in Fig. 8, this being accomplished by manipulating the handle 65 and the clamping nut 64 upon and relative to the screw 63. The door 58 of the housing 5| may then be swung into open position, upon its hinge 59, by grasping the handle 69, whereupon the door 58 may be held in open position by means of the latch 66, as shown in Fig. 8.

Accordingly, as and when the vessel sinks water will enter the housing 5|,through the then 5 open top thereof, thus causing the buoyant float l3 to rise out of the housing 5| and thereby unwinding the pilot cable l4 from the collapsible reel structure 28. As the pilot cable I4 is thus unwound from .the reel 28 the collapsible reel 10 unit 28 rotates upon its supporting shaft sections 21 and 30 which, in turn, rotate in the bearing openings 56 and 51 which are provided therefor in the pivoted bearing blocks 41 and 52, respectively.

However, when the buoyant float 3 has risen sufficiently to completely-unwind the pilot cable i l from its supporting reel 28, further upward movement of the float l3 will collapse the reel structure 28 and parts of the reel structure 28 will tend to rise with'the float l3.

It will be noted, in this connection, that the axially inner end portions of the shaft sections 21. and 38 are interconnected by the flexible connecting element 33 which, in turn, is connected to the inner or lower end portion of the pilot cable l4. Accordingly, as and when the pilot cable |4 becomes completely unwound from the hub 38 of the reel structure 28, further upward movement of the float I3 willact, through the pilot cable l4 and the flexible connecting element 33, and the shaft sections'21 and 30, to pivot the bearing blocks 41 and52, upon their supporting trunnions 48 and 53, respectively, P thereby pivoting the bearing blocks 41 and 52 from their normal or efiective position, as in Fig.5, into the position in which they are shown in Fig. 8. Accordingly, as the upward motion of the float l3. pilot cable I l and flexible connecting element 33 continues, the shaft sections 21 and 0 will be pulled out of the bearing openings 55 and 51 which are provided therefor in the bearing blocks 41 and 52, respectively, and the shaft sections 21 and 30 and the wheels 3| and 32 of the reel structure 28 will thereupon rise with the float l 3 and the pilot cable H, as shown in Fig. 8. During this operation the hub sections 39 and 48 will'be dislodged from the shaft sections 21 and 30 of the collapsible reel structure 28 and since the hub sections 21 and 3|] and the reel flanges 3| and 32 are preferably made, of wood or like material they will tend to rise and. float with the float l3.

As the various floats |3 thus rise'to the surface of the water in which the vessel I I may be sunk, the floats 13 provide indicators or markers for locating the sunken vessel and when the vessel has been located the flexible lifting cables IB may be raised and any suitable marine hoisting or lifting apparatus may be operatively connected to or associated with the various lifting cables [5 to enable the sunken vessel In to be raised. It will be. noted, in this connection, that upward or lifting pull exerted upon the lifting cables IE will act, through-the bearing blocks I9, housing 2|, and the weather deck l2 to exert a lifting action upon the submerged vessel l0.

It will be noted that the shaft sections 21 and 30 of the collapsible reel structure 28 are swivelly connected by the links 26 and 29 to the arms 24 and 25, respectively, of the flexible connecting element 23 and that the flexible connecting element 23, in turn, is connected to the lifting cable i6. Hence, it will be seen that the pilot cable M may be employed to raise the lifting cable i6 and thus unwind the lifting cable l6 from its supand away from said vessel.

porting reel I1, whereupon the'lifting cable l6 may be employed in raising the sunken vessel.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, that the present invention accomplishes its intended objects, and has the desirable advantages and characteristics,.including those hereinbefore pointed out and others which are inherent in the invention.

and lifting apparatus, the combination of: a

buoyant float adapted to be released for rising movement upon the sinking of said vessel, a relatively light flexible pilot cable attached to said buoyant float, ,means for supporting said pilot cable upon said marine vessel including a rotatable supporting reel, means for detachably mounting said supporting reel upon said vessel so that said supporting reel will be lifted by and rise with said buoyant float when said pilot cable becomes completely unwound from said supporting reel, and a relatively heavy strong flexible lifting cable operatively connected to said pilot cable supporting reel for lifting said vessel.

2. A combination marine vessel locating and lifting apparatus as defined in claim 1 and which includes a supporting reel adapted to be rotatably mounted in the body of said vesselfor supporting said lifting cable, and means adapted to be anchored in the body of said vessel for supporting said lifting cable supporting reel 3. In a device of the character described, the combination of: a buoyant float adapted to be mounted upona marine vessel in position to be released for rising movement upon sinking of said vessel, a flexible pilot cable connected to said buoyant float, means for supporting said pilot cable including a collapsible supporting reel adapted to be rotatably mounted upon said vessel, and means for detachably mounting said collapsible supporting reel structure upon said vessel so that upon the rising movement of said float said pilot cable will be unwound from its said collapsible supporting reel and upon being unwound therefrom will raise said collapsible supportingreel therewith upwardly relative to 4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a buoyant floatadapted to be mounted upon a marine vessel in position to be released to rise therefrom upon sinking of said vessel, a flexible pilot cable connected to said buoyant float, means for supporting said pilot cable .including a collapsible reel structure, means for detachably mounting said collapsible reel structure in the body of said vessel so that upon rising movement of said float said pilot cable will be unwound from its said collapsible supporting reel and upon being unwound therefrom will raise its said collapsible supporting reel therewith out of the'vessel, said collapsible supporting reel including a pair of complementary and normally axially aligned shaft sections each having an axially outer end portion, a reel flange carried by each of said shaft sections, a pair of bearing blocks adapted to be pivotally mounted in the body of said vessel and each having'a bearing opening provided therein for the slidable reception of the axially outer end portion of one of said shaft sections, said collapsible reel structure including a collapsible hub structure disposed about said shaft sections and normally retaining said shaft sections in axial alignment, and a flexible connecting element having a portion connected to the axially inner end of each of said shaft sections and having a portion connected to said pilot cable.

5. A device as defined in claim 4 in which each of said shaft sections has 1 a ball-like element formed thereon and in which said collapsible hub structure includes a pair of complementary hub sections each having spaced recesses formed therein and in which said spaced recesses cooperate to form a pair of sockets for the reception of the said ball-like elements upon said shaft sections.

6. A collapsible reel-comprising a pair of nor-' mally axially aligned shaft sections, a hub structure including complementary hub sections normally carried by said shaft sections and retain ing said shaft sections in axial alignment, a relatively stationary'support at the axially outer endof each of said shaft sections, and a bearing block pivotally mounted upon each of said supports, each of said-supportsrhaving a bearing opening formed therein for the reception of the axially outer end portion of one of said shaft sections.

'7. A collapsible reel structure as defined in claim 6 which includes a flexible connecting element having a portion connected to the axially inner end portion of each of said shaft sections and having a portion adapted to be connected to a flexible cable windable upon said hub structure. 8. Aflexible reel structure as defined in claim 6 in which each of said shaft sections has a ball-' like eleme'nt formed thereon and in which each of said complementary hub sections has a pair of spaced recesses formed therein and which said spaced recesses cooperate to form a pair of sockets for the reception of said ball-likeelemen'ts.

9. An. apparatus for locating and raising a marine vessel, comprising the combination of:

a flexible cable-supporting reel, means for rotatably mounting said reel upon a marine vessel,

a flexible and relatively heavy lifting cable normally wound upon said reel, a buoyant float adapted to be carried by said vessel and to be released therefrom upon sinking of said vessel, a relatively light pilot cable operatively connected to said buoyant float, a collapsible supporting reel normally rotatably mounted upon said vessel for supporting said pilot cable, and means for releasably mounting said collapsible supporting reel upon said vessel, said collapsible supporting reel for said pilot cable being releasable from its said mounting means upon said vessel and being lifted upwardly by said buoyant float when said pilot cable becomes completely unwound from its said supporting reel so that further upward movement of-said float and said collapsible reel will unwind said lifting cable from its said supporting reel.

10. An apparatus for locating and raisinga a flexible and relatively heavy lifting cable normally wound upon said reel, a. buoyant float adapted to be carried by said vessel and to be re-- leased therefrom upon sinking of said vessel, a relatively light pilot cable operatively connected to said buoyant float, a collapsible'supporting reel normally rotatably mounted upon said vessel for supporting said pilot cable, and means for releasably mounting said collapsible supporting reel upon saidvessel. said collapsible supporting reel for said pilot cable being releasable from its said mounting means upon said vessel and being lifted upwardly by said buoyant float when said mentary hub sections disposed between the said reel flanges of said collapsible supporting reel for said pilot cable and in which said complementary pilot cable becomes completely unwound from its said supporting reel so that further upward movement of said float and said. collapsible reel will unwind. said lifting cable from'its said supporting reel, said collapsible supporting reel for said pilot cable including a. pair of normally .aligned shaft sections each having a reel flange thereon; said mounting means for said collapsible reel including a pair of relatively stationary supporting members mounted in. the body of said vessel and a bearing block pivotally mounted in each of said stationary supports, each of the said bearing blocks having a bearing opening therein hub sections are detachably connected to said shaft sections.

e 12. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 in which said collapsible supporting reelstructure includes a pair of complementary hub sections disposed between the flanges of said collapsible supporting reel and in which said complementary hubsections are detachably connected to said shaft sections, and in which each of said shaft sections has a ball-like, element thereonand in which each of said complementary hub sections is provided with a pair of spaced recesses and in.

which said spaced recesses cooperate to provide ,a pair of sockets for the reception of said balllike elements on said shaft sections.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 in which said collapsible supporting reel structure a includes a pair of complementary hub sections and the axially outer end portion-of each of said ing blocks.

ll. An apparatus asdefined in claim 10 in which said collapsible supporting reel structure for said pilot cable includesa pair of compledisposed between the flanges of said collapsible supporting reel and in which said complementary which said spaced recesses cooperate'to provide hub sectionsaredetachably connected to said shaft sections, and in which each of said shaft sections has .a ball-like element thereon and in] which each of said complementary hub sections is provided with a pair of spaced recesses and ina pair of sockets for the reception of said ball- ,like elements on said shaft sections, and which apparatus includes a flexible connecting element having a portion attached to the axially inner end portion to each or said shaftsections and having a portion attached to the endportion of said pilot cable.

, RICHARD B. LUBY.

inner or lower 

